Ladies&#39; handbags



Feb. 18, 1964 s. HYMAN 3,121,452

LADIES HANDBAGS Filed July 31, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet l I II I I I I @418 I 1: i=6. 15 :i/

lz lftlllll.

IN VEN TOR. slo/vsy 197014 flan A ems-rs Feb. 18, 1964 s. HYMAN LADIES HANDBAGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 31, 1959 O e 1" CD, f QED v IN VEN TOR Swmry /-/rM4 Y United States Patent 3,121,452 LADIES HANDBAGS Sidney Hyman, Merrick, N.Y. (650 Ave. of the Americas, New York, N.Y.) Filed July 31, 1959, Ser. No. 830,934 1 Claim. (Cl. 159-28) This invention relates to ladies handbags.

It is an object of my invention to provide a ladys handbag which is inexpensive and easy to manufacture, has a neat and attractive appearance and is singularly adapted to provide a novel, decorative arrangement.

It is another object of my invention to provide a handbag of the character described which can display decorative material or objects at the bottom of the bag.

It is another object of my invention to provide a handbag of the character described which comprises particu larly few components but is extremely rugged and durable.

It is another object of my invention to provide a handbag of the character described which, despite its inexpensive and simple construction, resembles far more expensive handbags.

It is another object of my invention to provide in a handbag of the character described a unique type of bottom that can be securely, speedily and easily assembled to the side walls of the bag and further can, if desired, be utilized to provide a transparent compartment beneath the false bottom of the bag.

It is another object of my invention to provide an unusual combination of bottom and side Wall panels that are specially adapted to be connected to one another in a fashion such as to provide a maximum of smooth surface within an unlined bag without, however, sacrificing strength, simplicity and durability.

it is another object of my invention to provide a handbag of the character described in which the side and botton panels are so constructed and connected as to form an attractive pattern of stitching on the exterior of the bag.

Other objects of my invention in part will be obvious and in part will be pointed out hereinafter.

My invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the handbags hereinafter described and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, in which are shown various possible embodiments of my invention,

FIG. 1 is a three-quarter perspective view of a tote bag constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a reduced plan view of the bottom panel of a handbag constructed in accordance with my invention;

FIG. 6 is a reduced fragmentary plan View of a side panel of a handbag constructed in accordance with said invention;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a corner of said handbag;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a bag embodying a modified form of my invention wherein a transparent compartment is located beneath the false bottom of the bag to contain an attractive and/or ornamental display;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the bottom portion of said bag; and

FIGS. 10 and 11 are enlarged sectional views taken substantially along the lines 10-19 and 11-11 of FIG. 8.

3,121,452 Patented Feb. 18, 1964 ice Referring now in detail to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 through 7, the reference numeral 10 denotes a ladys handbag which embodies certain structural features of my invention. In general, these structural features constitute the provision in said bag of three principal parts which conjoin to form an open-type receptacle. These parts include a bottom panel 12 and two side panels 13. Since the side panels are identical, only one will be described in detail hereinafter.

The principal structural feature of said bag resides in the provision of a bottom panel 12 of H-shaped configuration when blanked out, this being quite clear from inspection of FIG. 5. it may be mentioned at this point that the material from which the various panels are formed may be any sheet material which normally is utilized for the construction of handbags. For instance, said panels may be fabricated from animal skin, e.g., full or reduced thickness leather, from sheet plastic either colored, patterned or clear, and even from cloth.

Reverting to the bottom panel 12 and keeping in mind its H-shaped configuration, the same may be deemed to consist of two parallel legs 14, 16 integrally connected by a thick cross-bar, i.e. base, 18. In effect, this creates two pairs of oppositely extending registered arms 20, 22 and 24, 26. The assembly of the handbag will be more easily understood if the divers edges of the bottom panel 12 are identified. Accordingly, for this purpose, the tip edge of the arm 20 will be denoted by the reference numeral 28, the same edge of the arm 22 by the reference numeral 30, the same edge of the arm 24 by the reference numeral 32, and the same edge of the arm 26 by the reference numeral 34. The inner side edges of the arms 20, 22, 24, 26 are denoted by the reference numerals 36, 38, and 42, respectively. The outer side edges of the legs 14, 16 are denoted by the reference numerals 44 and 46, respectively; and the end edges of the thick base 18 between the arms 20, 22 and the arms 24, 26 are denoted by the reference numerals 43, 50, respectively. The side edges of the base 18 are denoted by the reference numeral 51.

Each of the side panels 13 preferably is of rectangular configuration, the same having two parallel side edges 52, S4 and a bottom edge 56. The latter edge is notched at its opposite ends to provide square corner indentations 53 which between them define a pendent tab 6%.

It also is desirable, although not necessary, to include a stiffener for the bottom of the bag and to such end I include a stiff panel 61, the outline of which generally corresponds to the desired outline for the bottom of the bag, the dimensions of said panel, however, being slightly smaller than the ultimate dimensions of the bottom of the bag. A suitable and typical material for the panel 61 is fiberboard, paperboard, cardboard or impregnated fibrous board. It is usually desirable, moreover, to utilize a panel 61 of a color matching that of the bottom and side panels 12, 13.

Although the bag It) includes various other parts for different conventional purposes, the parts which I have described thus far are the main components of the bag, and I therefore will now interrupt the description of the individual elements in order to show how the parts already mentioned are integrated to form the basic receptacle portion of the bag.

In FIG. 7 I have illustrated the relative positions of the bottom and side panels as they appear at the time of assembly. The legs 14, 16 of the H-shaped bottom panel are turned up at right angles to the plane of the horizontal cross-bar 18; moreover, the four arms Ztl, 22, 24, 26 are turned inward to be oriented at right angles to the plane of the cross-bar 18 and to the planes of the legs 14, 16. It will be appreciated, of course, that inasmuch as the materials from which the panels 12, 13 are formed are not stiff, for instance not like sheet metal or fiberboard,

ciate d that the inturning and stitching of the edges 36 but rather are semi-limp, the right angles and planes I have mentioned are not precise but rather are approximations of the relative positions occupied by the various sections of the bottom panel.

The lengths of the arms 20, 22, 2d, 26 are slightly in excess of one-half the width (from leg to leg) of the crossbar 18, so that when the arms are inturned as described above their conjoint length exceeds the width of the crossbar and, therefore, the tips of the arms can be turned inwardly to lie in juxtaposition above the cross-bar, as shown, for example, in FIG. 4.

Each of the side panels 13 is arranged as shown in FIG. 7 preparatory to assembly with one another and with the bottom panel. This arrangement consists of folding inwardly the side edge portions of the panels 13 to form what will be referred to as the half-walls 62, 64, i.e. end portions (see FIG. 7), and also of folding inwardly the tabs 60, whereby the planes of the half-walls 62, 64 are perpendicular to the planes of the main bodies of the side panels 13 and to the planes of the inturned tabs 60 and the planes of the tabs 69 likewise are perpendicular to the planes of said main body of the side wall.

- Next the bottom portions of the thus arranged two side panels 13 are telescoped into the thus arranged bottom panel. It may be mentioned here that the particular arrangements specified above have been given principally for the purpose of better understanding the assembled construction of the handbag and that the various sections of the bottom and side panels need not all at the same time during assembly be arranged in the manner set forth. For instance, it may be more convenient to arrange some of the sections in their ultimately desired position, but inside out for the purpose of performing the attaching operations which now are to be set forth.

As assembled, the outer surfaces of the lower ends of the half-walls 62, 64 are in face-to-face contact with the inner surfaces of the inturned arms 2%), 22, 24, 26 at the opposite ends of the handbag. The lower ends of the side edges 52, 54 are in registry with the associated set of outer edges of the aforesaid arms, i.e., with the set of edges 28, 3t), and the set of edges 32, 34. These registered juxtaposed sets of edges, e.g. the edges 52, 54, 28, 3%) are inturned, as indicated for example in FIG. 4 and are secured to one another in any suitable manner, as by a line of stitching 66. If desired, and preferably, a narrow strip of piping 68 may be utilized to conceal the raw edges 28, 349,52, 5d. It will be observed (see FIG. 2) that the stitching 66 runs from the bottom to the top of the bag. It should be pointed out that although the stitching 66 as sewn extends in a direction parallel to the end walls, as seen in FIG. 4 for instance, it pulls out when the bag is in normal use and, therefore, can be seen from the inside of the bag as indicated in FIG. 2. Moreover, the described placement of the stitching 66 forms on the exterior surface of the bag at each end thereof a narrow deep vertical indentation 79 whi h is characteristic of many tote bags.

Ne .t the operator brings together at the inside of the bag, as by inturning the same, the registered edges 35, 48, the registered edges 38, 48, the registered edges 46, 5d, and the registered edges 42, 5t; and secures the same to one another as by lines of stitching 72. Preferably the raw edges ofthe various pairs of'edges' just mentioned are covered, as by a strip of piping '74. To improve the appearance of the connection just described, it is preferable to insert the iower end of the seam formed by the stitching as under the piping 74 so that the line of stitchmg 72 will also anchor the lower ends of the half-walls 62,

and the inturned arms 2d, 232, 24, 26. It will be appre- M 1 no, Wlll form narrow deep horizontal indentations 76 at the bottom side edges of the bag similar in nature, purpose and appearance to the indentations 7%).

It will be seen that the tabs 6b are loose and superpos d immediately above the now formed bottom of the bag.

In this position, they conceal, except to deliberate inspcc tion, the formation of the bottom portion of the bag from sundry panels and further act to eliminate dirt-catching crevices at the bag bottom. However, it is within the scope of my invention to eliminate said tabs.

i also secure the bottom panel to the side panels around the periphery of the bottom of the bag as by a line of stitching 78 which runs parallel to the edges 44, 46 and is I slightly spaced therefrom (see FIG. 1).

Now the stiffening panel s1 is placed within the bag fiat against the bottom thereof and held in place as by rivets 8b, the shanks of which penetrate the cross-bar 18, the tabs at and the panel 61, in that order. The heads of the rivets protrude from the bottom of the bag to act as stylish stub feet. The inner ends of the rivets are split and clinched against the upper surface of the panel 61.

To enhance the appearance of the bag, I may provide suitable ornamentation, e.g., around the rim thereof. Said ornamentation, for instance, may take on the form of a cult" 82, the interior construction of which can best be seen in "FIG. 2. The cuff is formed by a separate strip of material attached to and constituting an extension of the marginal edge portion of the side panels 13. This strip is folded downwardly at a bend 84, then upwardly at a bend 36. This forms a downturned marginal tab 5 0 which is secured to the body of the associated side panel as by a line of stitching 92. The external portion of the cuff is held against the body of the side panel as by rivets 94 similar to the rivets St). I may also interpose a stiffening strip 93, e.g. of cardboard, between the cuff and body of the side panel in order to aid in maintaining the shape of the mouth of the bag.

Suitable handles 96 are attached in any conventional manner to the bag.

If desired the bag may be provided with a lining.

In FIGS. 8-11, I have shown another handbag 1% which embodies a modified form of my invention. This handbag like the handbag 10 constitutes a bottom panel 192 and a pair of side panels M4.

The bottom panel 162 is of H-shaped configuration, the contour of the same when blanked out being identical to the contour of the bottom panel 12 heretofore described in detail. The side panels 1104 are slightly different in shape from the side panels 13 in that they omit the pendent tabs 69.

The bottom and side panels m2, 194 are arranged and assembled in the manner specifically described above with respect to the bottom and side panels 12 and 13, except, of course, that no tab 6% is arranged to lie across. the base (cross-bar) of the bottom panel. Moreover, as can clearly be seen from FIGS. 10 and 11, the lower edges 1% of the side panels are disposed to lie only a short distance below the upper edges of the tray-like (rectangular parallelepipedonal) shape lit-8 intowhich the bottom panel 1% has been formed. That is to sta the lower edges res of the side panels 1th;- are remote from the base of said tray thereby to leave the side wallsiii? of said tray unimpeded. It further is to be noted. that due to the formed corner construction of the tray, the tray will, despite its fabrication from a somewhat: flexible material, be self-form-maintaining, i.e., be able to define a hollow space, even when under the light load of the contents or" a handbag.

It also may be mentioned tiat the handbag itld em-- ploys'an alternative arrangement for connecting portionsof the bottom panel to another and for securing the panels to each other. Specifically I utilize for this purpose in the bag fifth a type of interengagement known in the trade as electronic stitching. This constitutes in essence a series of short closely spaced rectilinearly arranged autogenous plastic welds which, as is customary, are'formed in a high frequency machine.

Pursuant to a highly important feature of this form of my intention, at least the bottom panel 162. is made permits objects to be seen therethrough. For example, said panel 102 may be fabricated from a clear waterwhite synthetic plastic resin, e.g., since the panel preferably is flexible, a polyvinyl resin. The side panels 104 likewise are plastic to provide a compatible material to which the bottom panel can be electronically stitched. The side panels, however, need not be transparent and in the preferred form of my invention these panels are opaque in order to accentuate the effect attained with my construction by utilizing a transparent unblocked bottom panel.

Moreover, I horizontally subdivide the interior of the bag 100 at about the level of the top of the tray 108 in order thereby to form a false bottom beneath which there is located a transparent enclosed self-form-maintaining display space 120. Said false bottom may be constituted by a shallow tray 112 of opaque sheet material comprising a base 114 and side walls 116 made for instance of a stiff material such as cardboard. The false bottom tray 112 conveniently is held in place as by rivets 118.

It thus will be seen that the display space 120 constitutes the false bottom 114 as its top Wall, the base 112 of the transparent bottom tray 108 as its bottom wall and the sides 110 of the latter tray as its side walls. Thereby a viewer can readily see into the interior of this space. I fill the aforesaid space with any suitable substance or articles. By way of example, I have illustrated a clump or arrangement of artificial flowers 124, located in said space. These flowers are inserted in the bottom tray 108 before the same is assembled with the false bottom tray 112 and side panels to form a completed bag. Due to the protection of the false bottom 114 and the self-form-maintaining construction of the transparent tray 108, the flowers will not be disturbed when articles are inserted into the handbag during the normal use thereof. However the display of flowers thus provided forms a pleasing and decorative adjunct to the bag and, without departing from normal bag manufacture, furnishes an additional feature which greatly enhances the desirability of the bag.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a handbag in which the several objects of my invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein described or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

In a ladies handbag, a flexible transparent bottom panel and flexible side panels, said bottom panel comprising a flat rectangular base with end edges and side edges, said base having flanges integral therewith and disposed on opposite sides thereof, said flanges being oriented perpendicular to the base and extending upwardly therefrom, the flanges being longer than the base and the ends of said flanges being disposed perpendicular to the base and to the flanges, said ends of the flanges running along the end edges of the base so that the base and flanges conjointly define a tray, the tips of the ends of the flanges at each end of the base being secured to one another and the lower edges of the ends of the flanges being secured to the end edges of the base, said side panels having end portions which are perpendicular to the side panels and are joined together so that the side panels define a hollow cross-section, the lower portions of said side panels being disposed in nestable relationship with the upper portions of said tray, means securing said lower portions of said side panels to the upper portions of the tray, and a false bottom disposed within said bag above the bottoms of the side panels to form in conjunction with the transparent bottom panel a transparent permanently closed display space.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 172,311 Rosenberg et al. May 25, 1954 2,305,364 Wentz Dec. 15, 1942 2,334,410 Hume Nov. 16, 1943 2,363,647 Cosin Nov. 28, 1944 2,570,851 Peyser Oct. 9, 1951 2,664,670 Mulford Jan. 5, 1954 2,672,903 Machinist Mar. 23, 1954 2,845,973 Strong Aug. 5, 1958 2,852,055 Rona Sept. 16, 1958 2,855,969 Shields Oct. 14, 1958 2,954,891 Imber Oct. 4, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 744,483 France Ian. 26, 1933 

